1998 HONDA PRELUDE radiator cap

Safety Labels

These labels are in the locations shown. They warn you of potential
hazards that could cause serious
injury. Read these labels carefully.
If a label comes off or becomes hard
to read, contact your Honda dealer
for a replacement.

Driver and Passenger Safety

HOOD
RADIATOR CAP
Canadian models

SUN VISOR

U.S. models

DASH BOARD

U.S. models onlyProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Cooling System

Adding Engine Coolant
If the coolant level in the reserve
tank is at or below the MIN line, add coolant to bring it up to the MAX line.
Inspect the cooling system for leaks.
This coolant should always be a mixture of 50 percent antifreeze and50 percent water. Never add straight
antifreeze or plain water. Always use Genuine Honda
antifreeze/coolant. If it is not
available, you may use anothermajor-brand non-silicate coolant as a
temporary replacement. Make sure it
is a high-quality coolant recommended for aluminum engines.
However, continued use of any non-
Honda coolant can result in
corrosion, causing the cooling system to malfunction or fail. Have
the cooling system flushed and refilled with Honda antifreeze/
coolant as soon as possible. If the reserve tank is completely
empty, you should also check the
coolant level in the radiator.

CONTINUED

Maintenance

RESERVE TANK

Removing the radiator cap
while the engine is hot can cause the coolant to spray out,
seriously scalding you.
Always let the engine and radiator cool down before
removing the radiator cap.ProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Cooling System
1. Make sure the engine and radiator are cool.
2. Turn the radiator cap counter- clockwise, without pressing downon it, until it stops. This relieves
any pressure remaining in the
cooling system.
3. Remove the radiator cap by
pushing down and turning
counterclockwise.

4. The coolant level should be up to the base of the filler neck. Addcoolant if it is low.
5. Put the radiator cap back on. Tighten it fully.

6. Pour coolant into the reserve tank.Fill it to halfway between the MAX
and MIN marks. Put the cap back on the reserve tank.
Maintenance RADIATOR CAP
RESERVE TANKProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Cooling System

Do not add any rust inhibitors or
other additives to your vehicle's
cooling system. They may not be
compatible with the coolant or engine components.
Replacing Engine Coolant
The cooling system should be completely drained and refilled with
new coolant according to the time
and distance recommendations in
the maintenance schedule. Only useGenuine Honda antifreeze/coolant.
Draining the coolant requires access
to the underside of the vehicle. Unless you have the tools and
knowledge, you should have this maintenance done by a skilled
mechanic. 1. Slide the heater temperature
control lever to maximum heat.Open the hood. Make sure the
engine and radiator are cool to the
touch.
2. Remove the radiator cap. 3. Loosen the drain plug on the
bottom of the radiator. Thecoolant will come out through the
hole in the splash cover.

CONTINUED

Maintenance
DRAIN PLUG
Type SHProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Cooling System

Except Type SH only

Remove the drain bolt and washer
from the engine block. 4. Remove the reserve tank from its
holder by pulling it straight up.Drain the coolant, then put the
tank back in its holder.
5. When the coolant stops draining, tighten the drain plug in the
bottom of the radiator.
Except Type SH only

Apply non-hardening sealant to the drain bolt threads, put a new washer
on the drain bolt, and reinstall the
bolt in the engine block. Tighten it

securely.

Tightening torque:
61 Ibf .
ft (83 N .
m , 8.5 kgf .
m)

6. Mix the recommended antifreeze
with an equal amount of purified
or distilled water in a clean
container. The cooling system
capacity is:

With 5-speed manual transmission:

(Except Type SH)
0.87 US gal (3.3 l , 0.73 Imp gal)
(TypeSH)
0.85 US gal (3.2 l ,0.70 Imp gal)

With automatic transmission:

0.85 US gal (3.2 l , 0.70 Imp gal)

Maintenance
DRAIN BOLT

Except

Type SH
DRAIN PLUG

HOLDERRESERVE

TANK CAP
RESERVE TANK
ProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Cooling System

7. Pour coolant into the radiator up to the base of the filler neck. 8. Loosen the bleeder bolt on top of
the engine. Tighten it again whencoolant comes out in a steady
stream with no bubbles.
9. Refill the radiator to the base of the filler neck. Start the engineand let it run until it warms up (the
radiator cooling fan comes on at
least twice). 10. Turn off the engine. Check the
level in the radiator, add coolant if
needed. Install the radiator cap,
and tighten it fully.
11. Fill the reserve tank to the MAX mark. Install the reserve tank cap.

Maintenance

FILLER NECK
RESERVE TANK
BLEEDER BOLT
Fill up to hereProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Air Conditioning System
Your vehicle's air conditioning is a sealed system. Any major mainte-
nance, such as recharging, should be
done by a qualified mechanic. You
can do a couple of things to make
sure the air conditioning works
efficiently. Periodically check the engine's
radiator and air conditioning
condenser for leaves, insects, and
dirt stuck to the front surface. These
block the air flow and reduce cooling
efficiency. Use a light spray from a
hose or a soft brush to remove them.

The condenser and radiator fins bend
easily. Only use a low-pressure spray
or soft-bristle brush to clean them.

Run the air conditioning at least once
a week during the cold weather
months. Run it for at least ten
minutes while you are driving at a steady speed with the engine at
normal operating temperature. This
circulates the lubricating oil con-
tained in the refrigerant. If the air conditioning does not get as
cold as before, have your dealer
check the system. Recharge the system with Refrigerant HFC-134a (R-134a). (See Specifications on page 255.)

Whenever you have the air conditioning

system serviced, make sure the service

facility uses a refrigerant recycling
system. This system captures the
refrigerant for reuse. Releasing
refrigerant into the atmosphere can

damage the environment.

Maintenance

AIR CONDITIONING CONDENSER

NOTICENOTICEProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

If Your Engine Overheats

6. Look for any obvious coolant leaks, such as a split radiator hose.
Everything is still extremely hot, so use caution. If you find a leak, it
must be repaired before you continue driving (see Towing on
page 250).
7. If you don't find an obvious leak, check the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank (see page 124). If the level is below the
MIN mark, add coolant to halfway
between the MIN and MAX marks.
8. If there was no coolant in the reserve tank, you may also have to
add coolant to the radiator. Let the
engine cool down until the pointer
reaches the middle of the tempera-
ture gauge, or lower, before check-
ing the radiator. 9. Using gloves or a large heavy
cloth, turn the radiator cap
counterclockwise, without pushingdown, to the first stop. This
releases any remaining pressure in
the cooling system. After the pressure releases, push down on
the cap and turn it until it comesoff. 10. Start the engine and set the
temperature control lever to
maximum. Add coolant to the
radiator up to the base of the filler
neck. If you do not have the
proper coolant mixture available,
you can add plain water.
Remember to have the cooling
system drained and refilled with
the proper mixture as soon as you

can.

11. Put the radiator cap back on tightly. Run the engine and watch
the temperature gauge. If it goes
back to the red mark, the engine
needs repair. (See Towing on
page 250.)
12. If the temperature stays normal, check the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank. If it has
gone down, add coolant to the
MAX mark. Put the cap back on

tightly.

Taking Care of the Unexpected

Removing the radiator cap
while the engine is hot can
cause the coolant to spray out,
seriously scalding you.
Always let the engine and radiator cool down before
removing the radiator cap.ProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t